[Greens-Media] Minister Macdonald's entry to Federal Court row over logging shows serious concern

[Oquist, Ben (Sen B. Brown)]

Saturday, 13 August 2005 

Minister Macdonald's entry to Federal Court row over logging shows
serious concern 

Brown challenges Environment Minister to oppose logging Minister


Today's announcement by the federal Minister for Forestry and
Conservation, Senator Ian Macdonald, that the Howard government will
intervene in a major court challenge to Forestry Tasmania shows his
dismissive attitude has turned deadly serious, Greens Senator Bob Brown
said today.

"In May, Macdonald said this challenge to the Tasmanian Regional Forest
Agreement was a 'stunt'.  Now he has changed from flippancy to real
concern," Senator Brown said.

"My case is to stop woodchipping of the Wielangta (pronounced 
WHY-LANG-TA) forest on Tasmania's east coast, to protect rare and
endangered species like the Tasmanian Wedge-tailed eagle, the swift
parrot and Wielangta stag beetle.

"Now I will write to the federal Minister for the Environment asking
that he enter the case in defence of these wild creatures which his own
list says should be protected," Senator Brown said.

The case will be heard in the Federal Court in Hobart from 24 October
2005.


Further information: Ben Oquist 0419 704 095